


Urchin and Fish

by Foxflannel



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Disabled Character, Friends to Lovers, Implied Romance, M/M, Non-Canon Content, Physical Disability, mermaid au, unfinished fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 11:04:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16785691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxflannel/pseuds/Foxflannel
Summary: A small fic in which an urchin finds a fish.





	Urchin and Fish

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: This is a reupload of an old fic people have requested me to bring back from the first chapter to the last one I wrote.
> 
> I have absolutely no want to continue this series, mainly because it did poorly, and mainly because I no longer contribute or interact with the DR fandom. You may always message me regarding this, but I won't air old laundry here lol.
> 
> Regardless, this fic is, as I said, OLD, so please excuse any spelling errors or a really bad story.

Perfect is what he would normally name a day like today except that today was already terrible despite the beautiful temperature, the croaking cry of seagulls flying overhead and the warmth that was just hot enough to be comfortable but just right enough that he wouldn't sweat to death. He couldn't remember the last time he had both felt so at peace and pissed off, but yet here he was, and the map he was preening over wasn't giving him any respite.

The Future Foundation had been kind enough to airdrop them supplies or bring them by boat, and while this often included food, the meat they had was very rare and gone in only a few days and the rest of the fruits and vegetables gone as well, leaving nothing but canned food and hungry stomachs. The chickens had been laying eggs and it was a decent filler—for a while—and while the cows were all pregnant thanks to some intervening from Tanaka, it could take months for there to be calves and meat.

And so, Hinata built a boat. It wasn't spectacular by any means but it floated and was very boat-like in nature. He didn't know how to sail, but he knew enough to do what he had to do. And that 'do' was fishing. At first, he brought a fishing rod and some bait: meat that had spoiled or become so freezer burned it was unusable. He mashed it up and put it into tiny balls that he'd impale on his hook and throw into the water. But after the first few days of doing so without luck, he instead opted to make a fishing net and just drag the damn thing in the water, hoping for a catch.

The first time he had caught something, he was ecstatic, the island residents possible more than he was. The dinner was fantastic and though it was just a few meager fish, it gave them the hope that something else would fill their bellies that wasn't coconut or, in Owari's desperation—sand. After some adjustments to the net, he tried again. This was his final attempt before he started considering just bringing Tanaka and hoping he'd be able to just somehow summon the delicious food that they needed. Perhaps he'd be lucky and find a fish with some spawn and they could start a fish farm. Wishful thinking as always.

Of course, his stomach had to chime in at the idea of cod roe on rice and he shut it up with a deep sigh and focusing hard on the map on the table in front of him. Inside the captain's cabin, he was highlighting areas he had assumed he'd gone to, and just as he started to cross out a small area off the second island, he felt the ship dip with a loud 'thump! And he jolted to his feet.

Looking over at the deck he didn't see anything too concerning. A seagull was roosting on the top of the sail, preening its feathers. The same ding in the rails along the east side of the ship from the scrap metal they used from the military base. His first concern was to check the net, but he was more concerned that the thump was him hitting a rock. Until, he realized, that the ship was fine and that he would have felt the scrape of metal to stone.

He just shook his head and walked back to the cabin, marking across the map with a vacant mind and a hungry stomach.

It wasn't until the boat docked that he threw down the anchor and grabbed the rope to hold it to the dock, tying the knot with tight fists and looking over the boat again. No scratches, just as he left with it. That was good. He went back around the side, detached the fishing rope and almost fell into the water. His eyes lit up; this was a huge haul, he couldn't imagine how many fish he'd snagged! Thankful he marked the map, he couldn't help but salivate at the thought of fresh fish tonight. Maybe sushi tomorrow. Maybe some roe if they could find it.

He got a grip on the net and jumped from the boat into the sand, dragging his feet and pulling towards the land. Sure enough, he saw silver fish jumping and flapping under the net, panicking. Glowing in the sun as if literally sent by God. He heaved the net even harder and sure enough, more fish, swelling the net with their bodies and eagerness to get back to the water. He grit his teeth and pulled harder and nearly dropped the net when he saw inside of it.

There was a large, dark green scaled body, hardly moving. He managed to catch a glimpse of grey fins tinged with red, a swirled pattern down its side. He was wondering what sort of fish it could be as he continued tugging. Sure enough, the fish grew thicker and with more confusion to his actions, he pulled. He managed to catch the tail end of the fish and saw ripped fins, grey and red tipped likes the dorsal fins.

“What the hell?” Hinata managed and looked down at the net. The fish were growing frantic and he knew he had to be quick. He ran back onto the boat, grabbed the large bucket and dragged it through the water. He'd have to go grab one of the others and ask them to help him, but for now the fish were his concern. He couldn't let any of them die or he'd have made the trip and wasted lives for nothing.

The bucket was dragged through the sand and he tore open the net to grab the fish by the handfuls, easy since they had started to lose oxygen, and shoved them into the bucket as the water grew murky from the sand. It would be fine, he thought, they could clean them. More opening of the net, more grabbing fistfuls of small silver fish. The more fish he grabbed, the darker that green tail grew until he had had enough.

He started tying up the net as he got closer to the fish and pulled the tied ends, yanking it up onto the shore with a final tug. The fish hit the ground with a loud slap and a groan—a groan? Hinata's eyes went wide. Underneath the net and covered in a few flopping fish, was a pale human male...with no legs. In fact, he HAD legs but they had seemingly melted into a fish half, the scaled bottom long and curling, twisting onto itself. The boy was lying on his side, staring back with wide grey-green eyes and arms curled into his chest in fear, peering through the knots of the net and lying perfectly still. Hinata was sure he was dreaming. But the man-fish was breathing, pulse visibly quickened from his sudden toss to land.

“No way,” Hinata muttered. Beneath the wavy, wild white hair, he caught two little fins moving, twitching to his sudden voice. A fucking mermaid. He had caught a fucking mermaid? The mermaid glanced to the water, to the bucket, to the spiky-haired savior, and then back to the water. The tail flapped uselessly, making the remnants of the fish jump as well.

Hinata didn't remember when he fell, but he caught the pain of his ass hitting the ground and looked across at the boy fumbling with the net with clawed hands. When the mermaid noticed him watching, however, he dropped his hands guiltily and sucked in a shaking breath.

“Are...” Hinata started, paused, thought about it, and tried again, “Can you understand me?” he asked. The fish-person just stared at him, the same fearful expression, the same quickened pulse. Of course not. He was delusional. So, Hinata slowly crawled to the fish-person and touched the net, pulling it off of him slowly. The tail was becoming free but it was careful work. Hinata didn't want to scrape or tear any of the fins and the mermaid just watched him, eyes narrowed, ear-fins raised and pricking.

“C'mon,” he muttered, unsnagging the rope from the long tail fins. Feeling freedom, the mermaid's tail began to thrash, catching Hinata in the chest and making him sputter. The mermaid was frantically scraping and scratching at the sand, trying to get free, desperately flopping and twirling, only making the situation worse. Hinata, unthinking, straddled the fish part and held him down as best as he could, trying to rip the knots free.

The more he undid, the more the mermaid struggled, and eventually Hinata got him nearly rescued. Until, of course, he got to the head. The mermaid's hair was tangled into the knots and he reached forward to get them until a snap of sharp fangs and a loud, reptilian hiss pulled his arm back inhumanely fast.

“Hey! I'm trying to help you!” he hissed back, the mermaid's eyes narrowing. Hinata moved his hand forward again, a guttural growl low in the mermaid's voice and, unthinking, he slapped him on the nose gently.

“Quit.” he commanded. And to his surprise, the mermaid did, staring up at him in horror with a pinkened nose and utter shock. Hinata paid it no mind and undid the ropes, the final one sliding free under careful fingers and, sliding off the net, he stood up and balled it up, watching the mermaid, still watching HIM.

“Go,” Hinata managed, returning to the bucket. He was crazy. A fish person had just bit him and he was letting it go. He couldn't bring himself to eat the damn thing but he was feeling pretty angry and he couldn't blame his empty stomach for that.

But instead, the fish-person just stared at him.

“What?” Hinata asked.

The fish-person looked at the bucket, then Hinata, then the water, then the bucket again. He tipped his head, fins filling out wide.

“Oh,” Hinata waddled over with the bucket and the fish-person moved away with a wary sort of caution, eyes locked to his. Hinata put down the bucket and took a step back, then another. He waved his hands towards the bucket. The fish's eyes flickered to it and then back to him before he crawled over to the pail and, seeing the contents inside, looked back to Hinata, who just pointed at his mouth.

“Food,” he said. The mermaid's ears pricked again and without a second thought, he shoved his head into the pail and sent water flying. He returned in a split second, fish flapping around in his lips, fangs holding it tight. Looking at Hinata, he tipped his head, pointing to his own mouth.

“Uh...yeah, yeah that's right,” he said with a small chuckle. He felt like he was instructing a baby, teaching the fish how to understand basic words. That is, until the fish pointed to his mouth.

“Yeah, food,” Hinata repeated. The fish shook its head, pointed to the bucket and then to Hinata's mouth.

“Um...I use this,” he said, pointing at the net on the ground. The fish-person just stared at the net and crawled to it, putting the fish from his mouth inside of it and then pointing again at Hinata's mouth.

“Oh, I get it,” he said. He walked over to the net and grabbed the fish. The mermaid's eyes just blinked in expectancy. Hinata got it and, looking around, saw none of the others were here. He put the fish in his mouth. The mermaid nodded and went back to the bucket, dipping his head back in.

And so it went, the mermaid grabbing fish and putting them in the net so Hinata could put it in his mouth. After the third fish, Hinata was tired of it and instead pointed at the ocean.

“You need to go,” he said. The fish looked at its tail and then back at Hinata, pointing at the cottages and buildings on the island.

“Yes, go home,” Hinata commanded. The fish-person just shrugged and pointed at the water and then the buildings again, nodding.

“I-I don't...?”

“Hh....rr.” the fish said, tipping its head. Hinata paused.

“You can talk?”

The fish just tipped its head again and dropped its shoulders, crawling back to the tide and enough to covers it scaley tail. Hinata could practically see him sigh in relief.

“Yes, home,” Hinata repeated. The fish looked at him sadly and gave a little tip of its head, sending its wispy hair flying. The water pulled at him and tugged him to the sea and, giving a little look back, Hinata waved and turned to get the bucket. When he turned back, he didn't see the mermaid. Crazy. He was fucking crazy. He would have to wash the taste of fish blood and scales from his teeth.

The week came and went and the fish, as plentiful as they were, were so small that they had quickly been eaten up and in an effort to see if he truly WAS crazy, Hinata over-eagerly boarded the boat and navigated with his trusty map to where he had stumbled across the mermaid. Though he had found the same spot, when he returned to shore with a relatively chunky net, he noticed that the fish-person wasn't present and it was at this point he decided he was truly crazy after all.

Or he would have, glancing down angrily at the bandaged finger with hazel eyes and frowning. There was a wound behind that green wrap that was most definitely a fang mark and though he had lied and claimed it was from a fin's point, everyone decided that was the obvious answer and let him be. Which was good, because he was sure if he claimed it was either a shark or a mermaid, they'd lock him up and leave him there until he stopped slamming his head against the wall.

And so it went for the next week and the next, a fishing expedition without the green-tailed man in the net. Hinata had to admit he was almost saddened by the fact that whatever he had seen that day was most likely gone for good. With a pit in his stomach he realized that perhaps the clumsy mermaid was more than likely dead or captured for someone's sick gain. Until he remembered that the Future Foundation probably didn't have a fishing net attached to their boats and that nobody else knew these islands existed.

It was on the third fishing trip that Hinata had decided he was imagining things and left it at that, instead focusing his time on documenting what fish he caught and where so he could return every week. It became a ritual, almost, traveling away from the others for some private time of his own. It's not that he disliked anybody on the island; but being the person he was, he was always in short supply but high demand. He couldn't be everywhere at once and he always felt stretched so thin.

But he enjoyed the time on the ocean. The salty, misty airs kissing his face in a cool breeze against the sweltering heat shimmering off the deck. The gasp of the waves breaking under the boat, the soft, metallic creaks of the sail holding tight in the winds. It was somehow therapeutic. He could do without the tans, of course, but where it was almost always hot, he had to take what he could and he was forgetful when it came to the sunscreen.

So, tossing caution to the wind, he'd often pass the time on the deck by doing small workouts or just pacing it briskly to stay active before hiding in the shade of the captain's quarters and drinking his fill of lukewarm water. Yet it became habit for him to do these things when his books were finished or grew boring and when he wasn't that hungry. He had considered bringing someone along but he realized that nobody would truly want to sit on a boat with him—doing fuck all—for hours on end. Sometimes for days. It was his own personal task and he saw to it.

This fishing expedition was coming up short and the sky grew dark from night. So Hinata grabbed his pillow and blanket and threw them to the deck, laying down on his back and staring at the sky. He knew the stars; most of them, anyways, though he could only name a few. Orion's Belt and the Dippers. But he liked looking up at the stars and counting them, seeing them flicker and twitch through the sky. It reminded him of his years at school, wearing his dark uniform and undoing his tie before bed, looking out the window at the large, imposing school he wished he could have attended instead.

“But, I guess...it worked out in the end.” he muttered to himself, curling onto his side and falling asleep with the ruffle of wind in his hair.

He woke suddenly, feeling the boat lurch forward. He scrambled up from the blankets, tripping over the cover, and running to the steering wheel. The waves were harsh and large, and of course if he was awake he could have noticed. He should have felt the drop in temperature, should have seen the sail flapping harshly, the boat turning on its own. But he didn't. He was throwing the wheel hard, aiming it towards land as best as he could, but the ship was already falling sideways along the waves.

“Shit!”

Hinata was pulling levers now, still holding tight to the steering wheel. The boat was grinding and trying to turn as hard as it could but the waves were stronger, battering the recycled boat like a cat with a ball of yarn. Each jolt of the wave sent Hinata sprawling and he had to catch his footing as best as he could. A storm. His luck was truly the worst. The panic was starting to sink deep into his stomach when he realized the wheel was jammed. He of course tried to jerk it to the opposite direction but it wouldn't budge and the waves were only growing choppier. The blue ocean was practically black now, swallowing up the ship with each ebb and flow, and before he knew it, he was thrown to the wall, the ocean turning completely black as he lost consciousness.

Suffocating. Yeah. That's what that was. Water in his lungs. Water in his throat and nose. His ears and eyes. Everywhere. Shapeless like air, liquid and intangible. Cradling him softly and battering him all at once. He tried to open his eyes but the cold water and sting of salt instantly forced him to shut them and from that simple peek, he knew he couldn't see the top of the water.

He'd die here. He should have brought a friend, should have traveled closer to the islands. But should have/would haves wouldn't save him now and the waves were pulling his limp body like a bag in the wind. He was dying. Trying to be the hero, trying to feed his friends so they would smile, trying to do right by them like he promised they would. All that bravado shoved back in his face, the force of nature laughing, making sure he knew his place. He should have prayed for a safe voyage as miss Sonia instructed. Should have packed life jackets as Kuzuryuu told him, time and time again.

Well. He'd apologize to them in heaven, he supposed. He felt his arms begin to move in the water but he was already too weak and his head opened to let a stream of bubbles through, the water entering deep into his lungs as he took a shuttered breath in his panicked haze. But what he felt, instead, was air, pushing into those ragged lungs. He blinked bleary eyes open but saw nothing but white. It was a cloud. Soft and warm and welcoming, curling into his lips and nose. The cloud drifted away, leaving the confused remnants of soft lips in his vision, pulling away from him.

He closed his eyes and felt consciousness fade again.

Hinata woke slowly to warmth. Warmth and something smooth. He twitched a little and felt the familiar roughness of sand against his skin. He didn't die after all? He let out a small huff and, from that, he began to choke and cough, feeling water rupture from his throat and chest. He vividly recalled all those days he had gone swimming as a kid or in school, how he'd swallow water and sputter it back up painfully, chlorine hurting his chest for hours.

But this was different. Salt water stung, clung to his innards and made him constantly lick his lips to rid it. But it never went away. He opened bleary eyes slowly, rubbed them with a sandy fist, and felt the blinding sun. Except the sun wasn't always this...pale. He groaned.

For a heartbeat, there wasn't a sound. But then there was, a soft groan in return and that definitely jostled him enough to force his eyes open. And what he saw was...

“You?” he asked. The mermaid just tipped its head and looked away guiltily. Hinata slowly climbed to all fours and realized his strength wasn't what he expected and simply fell back down to sit on the ground. Slowly, ever-so-slowly, he felt the soft, smooth tickle of something on his shoulder and he couldn't help but turn around. Behind him was the tail of the fish, its fins dangling across his left shoulder. The rest of it was curled along behind him and it wasn't until he saw it stretched out that he realized just how LONG the mermaid was. It had to be almost three times his size in length alone.

“Ni?” he heard the mermaid say. He turned to look, seeing the man leaning up on his elbows, smiling at him a little.

“What?” Hinata replied. The mermaid just smiled a little wider and shrugged.

“Uni.” he responded, pointing at Hinata who simply paused.

“Oh,” the mermaid said, nodding, “Hhhhhr. Ehrrrr....” he was looking down at the sand, eyebrows knit downwards before snapping those clawed hands and nodding.

“Urchin?” he asked again.

“I...I don—you can talk?” Hinata asked.

“Can an urchin?” the mermaid asked, smiling.

“What are you...?” The fish-person just pointed at him until his hand was aimed at his hair.

“You.” he said simply.

“No. Not an urchin,” Hinata huffed, resting his palms on his thighs, “Are you a fish?”

“Oh,” the mermaid said sadly, “I didn't know you were blind.”

“Wow,” Hinata said, narrowing his eyes. The mermaid just rolled to its back, looking up at Hinata with those wide grey-greens.

“I think...next time, perhaps you should bring something safe. Like...a lifejacket. Or pray to the ocean gods,” the mermaid chided, wet strands of hair catching on his eyelids as he blinked innocently at Hinata.

“And I think YOU should mind your business. I was handling it,”

“By drowning?”

“Who do you think you are, fish?” Hinata snarled. The fish-person just shrugged and smiled.

“It's polite to introduce yourself first, isn't it?”

“Ok. Fine. Hinata Hajime. NOT an urchin. Or drowned,” he responded bitterly. The mermaid simply nodded and rolled back to his belly, the tail tip slapping Hinata's shoulder as he did so. That couldn't have been an accident.

“A pleasure to re-meet you, Hinata-kun. “I used to go by Komaeda Nagito. I think.” he answered.

“You think?”

“Yes, now it's usually 'ah a mermaid'”, Komaeda said, and though it was a sarcastic answer, his face showed no signs of even caring or realizing, “But, ah, your boat...?”

Hinata paused and turned to look at the boat. It had crash-landed hard into the sand, the hull absolutely decimated. His chest sunk deep and he stumbled to shaky feet to check the interior damage and the net, which was...empty. Three days on the water and nothing to show for it. He dropped the net limply back into the ocean and ruffled those spikes that were most definitely not urchin spines.

“Great. Of course, fantastic,” he snarled out, kicking the ship a little with a sandy foot and whirling angrily before pausing. He realized he was in nothing but his swimming trunks and he whirled to try and find his clothes.

“Oh,” Komaeda picked himself up with his hands and started waddling towards the other side of the boat, his tail lashing left and right was similar to that of a snake's and though he was aquatic, he slithered along the ground quicker than Hinata would have imagined. He returned with the clothes wrapped around his back, tie neatly placed on top.

“Where did..?”

“It was still raining and I couldn't get to your chest with this,” he said, slipping the offending tie from his back with a dramatic shake of his spine, “So I put them under a rock and they stayed dry, which is really the biggest surprise.”

“What do you mean?”

Komaeda paused, tail-tip flicking in thought, “I guess you could say...luck's not usually on my side,” he smiled, and as if to emphasize the point, his right tail-tip lifted high, revealing a gnarled tear halfway down its middle. Hinata thought it looked like a bite the way it was circular in shape, but Komaeda just stared longingly at it and shrugged.

“Hah, well, this is hardly a time to be talking. Your friends probably miss you since the storm hit here too, I think. You should probably go see them,” he said. And off he went, picking himself up and sliding around swiftly. The sand was surprisingly of no resistance. Like water.

“W-Wait,” Hinata said, glancing at the tie. He was saved by this fish-per---by Komaeda. Maybe it was a returned favor for saving him back then, though, Hinata thought, he did sort of capture him on accident. So really, was that even saving or just not being a jerk at that point?

“Thank you, for...saving me,” he managed. Komaeda just tipped his fluffy white head and his ear fins frilled out wide.

“Oh! There's no need to thank a wretch like me. I simply thought that your friends would miss you if you realized you didn't know how to sail.”

That simple smile, full of arrogance. Hinata frowned.

“Yeah, well, I don't apparently know how to fish either,”

“That much was apparent, yes,” Komaeda thought, “I was instructing you to make the knots smaller in your net that day, not that the net was your mouth. I'm not very intelligent but it seems we're equal there,”

“Excuse me?” Hinata took a step forward, “I wasn't the one trying to force feed me fish,”

“Nor was I,” Komaeda returned, “I was simply showing you that if you wanted to eat, the fish were escaping and the only reason you caught so many was because my body was covering most of their escape points.”

Hinata froze. Yeah. Now that he thought about it, he recalled how thick the tail was and it made sense how he was able to get so many fish trapped between himself and the net.

“Perhaps you should get dressed, you're going to catch a cold,” Komaeda said, slipping into the shallow depths before Hinata stopped him again.

“Um...will you...come back? These islands are where I live and I only lave to fish.”

Komaeda simply stared at him for a long while, water lapping at his fins along his spine and pulling them delicately. He sat back on his tail and simply hummed.

“I'm not sure if that would be wise, Hinata-kun. Mermaids are pretty magical you know. There's no guarantee that your friends won't be so selfless to me as you were. And, as I assured you, luck is generally not on my side. I was in the vicinity and a storm happened. Though, I guess it canceled out your drowning...but I did get the boat and fishing net ruined. How troublesome,” he placed a fist to his chin and frowned.

“Hey, rain happens, I should have checked the weather better,” Hinata assured but Komaeda wasn't having it and instead sighed, flicking his green tail with a deepening frown.

“Well...I have somewhere I need to be. If you can fix that net by tomorrow, I suppose I could help you out,”

“You would do that?” Hinata asked. Komaeda nodded, those white waves bouncing along his head.

“I do owe you for bringing a storm to you. Consider it a deal,” he said, smiling. He moved a bit deeper into the water and paused, raising a finger.

“Oh, ah, one more thing,” Komaeda said. Hinata nodded, waiting.

“I'd avoid fishing around that island. There's a lot of dormant bombs your boat might hit,”

Hinata's face paled.

“See you later, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda said, waving his tail fins cheerfully before dipping below the sea.

As it turned out, Komaeda held to his word, returning the next morning bright and early and waving those fins as he wriggled to land. Hinata waved back, dragging the net across his shoulders and walking down the stone steps to the beach's shore with the repaired knots. Sure enough, the squares were smaller now and closer knit and, looking them over, Komaeda nodded.

“Mhm!” he said, looking over the handiwork while Hinata just watched.

“So...you can talk,” Hinata said. Komaeda just shrugged.

“It seems you can, too,” he replied, cheerfully.

“You know what I meant. Last time you couldn't, so--”

“I didn't kiss you then,” he replied. Hinata choked.

“W-what?!”

“Hm,” Komaeda's flippers twitched in the water, his sandy hands redoing a knot that wasn't quite yp to snuff, “You were drowning, so I gave you oxygen. It helped me remember how to speak,” he said simply, lifting the net and checking the underside's knots.

“That...that's how it works?”

“Apparently,” Komaeda responded, “At least that's what HE said. But he never forgets how to speak. Though it's a bit sad; he hardly speaks as it is,”

“Who's he?” Hinata asked. Komaeda shrugged.

“Ah, well, I'm not sure if he'd want me to say, but he's another mermaid friend. In fact, he's...” Komaeda paused and sealed his lips, looking suddenly guilty. Perhaps he was about to say something he shouldn't have, which Hinata respected, but wished he would have.

“Did you bring the map?” Komaeda asked. Hinata shook his head.

“No, I didn't know I needed it.”

“Ah. Well, my mistake!” Komaeda responded and instead took to drawing in the sand. The art wasn't terrible; Hinata could understand what each island was and knew where Komaeda was circling and after a few minutes, the white-haired man gave a satisfied nod.

“Here is usually good, and here...” he was humming, clawed fingers running across the sandy map, “And....here,” he circled another part right next to the fourth island.

“There? But that's--”

“Surprising, yes, but believe it or not,a lot of the fish migrate there but only at night, so leaving the ship and letting them swim would be beneficial,” Komaeda responded, eyes darkening in thought, “And since your ship is out of commission, I suppose I should just...get them for you.”

“We have row boats,” Hinata suggested to which Komaeda shook his soggy head and flecked water everywhere.

“No, those will scare them. Give me...” he looked over at the sun, lifted his hand and watched the shadow form on the sand, “Give me an hour? I'll be back,” he stated. And, grabbing the net with his sharp teeth, he wriggled to the water and sunk below once more.

Almost an hour later on the dot, Hinata saw a familiar tail and sure enough, as promised, Komaeda dragged the full net until it hit the sand and he jerked his head, asking for Hinata's help. He was strong In the water; on land his traction positively sucked. Hinata grabbed the handles and pulled, balking from the weight. The net was positively stuffed, the fish floundering and flopping madly once they broke land. Hinata couldn't help but laugh. They'd have food for weeks with this.

“Tie the net to the boat so the fish don't die,” Komaeda suggested, “Your friends should be able to help you from here,” he stated.

“Yeah...thanks, Komaeda.” Hinata smiled. Komaeda's ear fins drooped and he shrugged, looking to the cottages and then back to the water.

“Hah...it's funny,” he smiled, “I almost remembered what a bed felt like,” he said, but before Hinata could reply, Komaeda's head was already under the water.

* * *

“So...do you believe in mermaids?”

He had expected the laughter from most of the group. He had expected the scoff from Saionji, the roll of eyes from Koizumi, the general disdain from most of the group. What he hadn't expected was the shrug of shoulders from Kuzuryuu and a mumbled 'Yeah'. Hinata didn't realize that he was being serious and simply laughed it off as they finished tying the nets in the shallows.

Tanaka had suggested a fish farm, which was exactly what everyone else was thinking, and with some rigging, they had managed to make a makeshift 'cage' of ropes for the fish. The larger ones would breed and leave behind spawn and fry and they could eat them at their leisure.

“It's a little bit of a miracle isn't it?” Sonia had said, watching the fish swimming lazily in a circle, “You came home with only a few fish at a time but this is almost like an aquarium's amount!”

“Y-yeah,” Hinata murmured. And shortly after dropped the mermaid question. Gauging, if nothing else, for reactions. So when Kuzuryuu of all people just shrugged and said yes Hinata was stunned.

“You do?” he asked.

Kuzuryuu gave him a small stare, adjusting his rolled up sleeves and working on his side of the net, “Well, not directly or anything. There has to be something that starts all myths. Mermaids turned out to be manatees or something. They say fisherman saw mermaids when they missed their wives on the sea and some became so desperate to see them again that they hurled themselves overboard.”

“I've never heard of that one,” Hinata said, grabbing some scissors to slice through a tangled wire.

“They also say that mermaids can become human with a pearl made from wishes,” Sonia interjected, “Though I think perhaps the legends change for every country.”

“It was just a question...I didn't know you guys were experts,” Hinata said.

Kuzuryuu slapped his shoulder and went back to tying a knot, shoving a particularly chubby fish back into the cage, “Yeah, well, for somebody so invested in legends and the library, maybe you should do something with all those books and look into it.” he teased.

He was teasing, that was true, but Hinata shrugged and laughed. Maybe there were books. He was being crazy still, he thought, wondering if the boy with a fish tail would come see him.

He didn't. For a long time.

The heat had only grown more in power and Hinata could hardly leave his cabin. Even with a working air conditioner he was still sweating and hating how his shirt clung to his back with every shallow, hot breath he took. He'd splash himself with cold water from the sink but the relief was temporary and he hated it. He took to walking along the shore when the sun began to dip and the winds grew a bit colder but the heat was still unbearable.

They had a pool on the main island and he loved to use it, but lately, he took to the ocean. Maybe out of desperation, maybe out of hope, he wasn't sure. But the water always felt the best right when they sky grew dark. Souda had installed a large searchlight by the dock so they could swim at night and Hinata was always thankful for it. He could keep an eye on the fish farm and swim without worry.

And swam he did. Sometimes, he'd drag a large pool floaty and just lounge, staring at the stars as the waves lapped at his feet, relief from the heat that was still comfortably warm and freedom from sunburns. Other times, he did some sort of semblance of a lap, swimming from one dock to the other until his lungs choked his chest. The fish boy didn't return. But he was starting to assume that that was for the best. He had saved them after all; the fish were breeding and reproducing and they all had a sort of meat to eat every day. He had saved them.

So then, why did Hinata feel so badly? Komaeda had mentioned missing what a bed felt like and he hummed. It's not like he was fully human; even though his top half was completely human he still had those large fangs and ear fins that twitched and perked, those long claws on his fingertips. Hinata kicked a foot lazily against the waves and looked up at the sky.

“What if...he wasn't always a mermaid?” he thought to himself before shrugging it off. Even if that were the case, how could he help him with it? The 'true love's kiss' only gave him the ability to remember how to speak. But, if he forgot how to speak, then that meant he knew how prior, and he was sure fishes didn't have books. He rubbed his chin in thought and licked away the salt water with a grimace that splashed onto his lips.

“I hope he's okay,” he caught himself saying and glanced back at the sky.

He owed Komaeda lot. The man has rescued him and helped feed the island, all because he wanted to. He had mentioned 'repaying' him, but in truth, Hinata had captured him all along. Granted, it wasn't on purpose, but that didn't stop the guilt that burned into his breast at the thought. All Komaeda had done for him was help from the moment they met and all he had done was entangled him. Watched that terrified, uncertain face, wondering what Hinata would do to him. He was a mermaid after all, a mythical being, people had probably tried to pawn him for money or worse. Hinata had no need for any of that; but what if he had? Would he have been so king?

He pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes and sighed. What if he hadn't saved him? Where would the island be now? Hinata probably would have drowned that day in the storm or worse, battered against the rocks until his bones were dust and people forgot who he was. The island would probably be starving, the cattle killed off with only fruits and vegetables to hold them over.

“I owe him a lot,” he murmured again to nobody and flipped over on his stomach, lazily paddling towards the land.

A few days had passed and Hinata was sitting in the fish cage, counting all the fish he could. Their numbers had dropped in half and most of the adults had been killed for food; the rest were growing up slowly. The cage was made a bit too small and the holes of the net too large. He was deciding what to do when he heard a familiar voice, the booming deep of Tanaka.

“Hello,” he said, not looking up, pencil scratching against the clipboard.

Tanaka gave him a greeting and climbed into the cage as well, picking up some of the adults lightly and giving them a gentle squeeze. He pointed at some spots on the clipboard and told Hinata which ones were expecting and Hinata wrote the numbers down dutifully. It had become their weekly ritual, making sure the fish were healthy and reproducing, culling the sick ones or letting them go to the sea to feed something else.

“How's the water?” Sonia called, jogging down the beach in her wet-suit with a wave.

“Cold!” Hinata shouted back.

“Excellent!” she reciprocated and jogged to the outside of the cage, “And how are the fish today?” she asked.

“Brimming with power, as expected!” Tanaka boomed, lifting a chubby fish into his grasp and before he could react, it leaped over the cage and swam away. Hinata craned his neck and watched it dip into the dark waters by the rock-held dock before shrugging.

“It happens,” he said. Tanaka scowled.

“It was possessed by the spirits of the ancients and I do not trust him.”

“It was pregnant.”

“It lied.”

“Anyways,” Hinata tapped the pencil to the paper, “How are you doing today So....maeda?”

“Hm?” she asked through a scrunchy in her lips, in the process of tying her hair up. Hinata just blinked, turning his gaze from the rocks and quickly to her, “N-Nothing, I just--!”

“Hinata, you are acting strange. Do you feel okay?”

There was a small flit of motion in the ocean and Hinata stiffened, beaming awkwardly and slapping the clipboard to his chest, “Never better! Just fishing—wishing!--for this day to stay as beautiful as it is.” he stammered. The water moved again, closer this time.

“Erm...” Sonia glanced at Tanaka, who was too busy rubbing a fish to his cheek and scowling, judging its scale's condition, “O-Okay then! Would you like to join me for a swim, then?” she asked.

“Y'know what, maybe that's not a good idea...the water is REALLY cold today and--”

“I prefer the cold water, Hinata, and a swim would do me some...”

Sonia tipped her head, looking behind Hinata who stiffened further and turned amazingly slow. Sitting outside the net was Komaeda, the fat fish-refuge in his lips, trying to tip it into the cage without them noticing but failing; the fish was flapping around wildly and nudging the net with the force of a beast. When he noticed they were staring he hesitated, pushed the fish into the net and dipped straight down into the water.

“Komaeda!” Hinata shouted and waded closer to the ocean from the cage. Sonia just clapped excitedly.

“Hinata, I didn't know you were friends with a swimmer!” she said, “Tanaka, he brought back our fish! He must be really quick...” she murmured. Tanaka glanced at the fat fish and glared.

“He has cursed us!” he spit.

“I-I don't--” Hinata started, reaching into the water as deep as he could.

“Ah, I think he means the boy,” she said, rushing into the waves until most of her belly was covered and glancing around, “Where is your friend?”

“He's uh...” Hinata frowned, swinging his legs over the net and plopping into the deep water, wading, “He's...doing laps! He likes to swim around the island.”

“I see,” she beamed, swimming out to cover her body, “And, um, where does he live? The closest island is...?”

“Sonia, would you like to do some laps with me? Maybe we can catch up to him!” Hinata stammered nervously. Why was he so bad at lying? She'd figure it out. Sonia wasn't stupid, she was really smart. So why was he trying to fib?

“Well...sure! Where did he go?” she asked. Hinata pointed randomly, cursing the fact that he didn't take the time to strip his clothes and loathing the feeling of his wet shirt buttoned to his chest. Sonia nodded, stuck out her tongue with a fierce expression and bolted into the water, swimming impossibly quick. Of course.

Hinata just grimaced and started swimming, knowing full well that Komaeda wouldn't come back. Why had he even showed up again to begin with? It wasn't that Hinata was upset by this ordeal; he had wanted to see the word boy again. But so close to others, to people he claimed before wouldn't trust him? Hinata spat out a little water and watched Sonia turn the corner of the island. No, he wouldn't be over that way so she was safe to swim there. They had plenty of fish so him returning one pregnant female wasn't a big thing to be needed. Yet, he did it because it felt important. Was he eavesdropping?

Hinata started slowing and simply sat there in the water. Tanaka couldn't see him from here and Sonia was...well, who knows, she was a damn boat with skin for all he knew. Instinctively and feeling like a child, Hinata slapped at the water as if beckoning the fish-man. He brushed his wet bangs from his face and looked around but saw nothing but a stray seagull riding the thermals above the water and he sighed. Yeah, typical. He probably scared him off, probably made the boy think he sicced his friends on him to capture him.

He shook his head. No, Komaeda knew he wasn't like that. ...Didn't he? Hinata's blood ran cold. What if Komaeda had been shown kindness before? His scaled body was marred with scars, his fin had a large chunk taken out of it. Those...might not have been natural accidents. It wasn't uncommon for sharks to have large bites and scars from mating but their most common wounds were left by fishermen. Snagged in nets, sliced with harpoons, mouths widened by knife blades.

He felt sick. Komaeda could have been hurt by someone, a greedy human, those wounds results of him fleeing. Was that why he had tried to handle things out of sight? Hinata's feet were paddling a bit harder to keep him afloat. Did he sense the aura that Tanaka radiated towards animals? The controlling yet gentle wave that both soothed and dominated animal minds. Was a half-animal affected if humans weren't? Or, perhaps, did he sense Sonia's royal blood, a human with unlimited wealth could only require things that money couldn't...perhaps in the form of a mermaid's wish.

Hinata didn't realize he had stopped paddling until his head dipped below the surface and he swam back up in a unattractive mess of splashes and gasps, coughing out the salt water and wiping his eyes clean before slamming a fist onto the water. It wasn't until something rubbed against his hips did he jolt a little and swim backwards. He didn't make it more than an inch before something solid stopped his back and, looking behind him with wide eyes, he sucked in a sharp breath.

“You know,” came the familiar voice, “You almost punched me in the face. That's pretty rude,”

The solid object behind his back squirmed, sliding across his spine with a firm yet silky touch. Komaeda was swimming lazily in a circle, his lengthy body circling Hinata's easily and almost several times over. Komaeda glanced towards the area Tanaka was and, seeing that the man was too far away to even notice, looked back at Hinata, lounging lazily on his own tail with a grin.

“Y-You...wait, your eyes.” Hinata said. Komaeda's head tipped, unsure of what he meant, “They're slits.”

“It's bright out,” Komaeda replied, flicking the back of Hinata's head with the gnawed fin, “Your pupils shrink, too.”

“Yeah, but...” Hinata frowned and Komaeda followed suit, “You're not...afraid are you?” he asked.

Hinata shook his head, “N-No, just...startling. How do you see under water? Doesn't the salt hurt your eyes?”

“Are you...?” Komaeda looked back at Tanaka and chewed on his lower lip, “Um. It's like...hm. It's kinda...” he moved a clawed hand and made a ball shape, realizing that didn't help, sighed out in a hiss, and thought again, “I guess it's like...a protective layer...thing? I can keep them open just fine with no repercussions.”

“Must be nice,” Hinata said, frowning from the redness his eyes must be showing. He could swim just fine but today he was a whole mess of problems that salt water was only exacerbating.

“Who's that blond girl?” Komaeda asked, turning his head the opposite way to where Komaeda saw her last. Hinata barked a small laugh, “That's Sonia. She's a princess from some far-off land. One helluva swimmer, apparently.”

“And the...fish guy?”

“That's Tanaka. He's an animal breeder. He's been a huge help with the fish and the other animals on the island.”

“I see,” Komaeda swirled a little again, spinning Hinata ever so slightly, “He freaks me out.”

“Because of his appearance? Or?”

“No, he's got this...thing about him. It's weird. He looked over and I shivered.”

“Oh,” Hinata laughed again, softer, “He can control most animals with just a look. I wonder if it affected you?”

“I hope not,” Komaeda spoke, barely a whisper, “A-And the blond guy?”

“Hm?” Hinata paused. There were only two people there besides him today...unless Kuzuryuu came back to help Tanaka with the netting, “That's Kuzuryuu. He acts tough but he means well.”

“I see,” Komaeda responded again, flipping to his back and letting the water entangle in his wispy hair, cradling his scalp as he stared up into the cloudy sky, “I like him, I think. I watch him sometimes. He really cares about the umbrella girl.”

“Umbrella?” Hinata paused, then chewed back a smile, “That's her sword. That's Pekoyama. They've been childhood friends for a long time.”

“I see. That explains why they hold hands so often.”

“They do!?” Hinata exclaimed a bit too loudly before composing himself—as much as he could leaning against a fish-man—and he coughed, “I-I mean, it's been obvious, I'm just glad he finally did something about it. They must be keeping it a secret.”

“Not very well if everybody knows about it,” Komaeda scoffed lightly and turned his eyes to Hinata, blinking, “Where's your mate?”

This time, however, Hinata's composure went out the window and if Komaeda wasn't cradling him, he'd have sunk in the water to hide his red face, “I-I don't have one.” he managed.

“Hm,” Komaeda responded, “Considering how many people you live with I would have imagined you all paired up.”

“No, there's only 15 of us.”

“Nobody is undesirable?” Komaeda paused, then frowned, “Oh. That...would be you, then. I'm sorry. When I saved you I didn't expect to take your first kiss.”

“S-Shut up, you didn't! And besides, I'm not...undesirable. I just have better things to do than worry about romance. And what if I break up with the person I was dating? I'd be stuck on this hell of an island forever with them.”

“You have to stay here forever?” Komaeda asked, tail fin flicking the water as he continued to swim lazily, “Why not just leave?”

“I...it's a long story, Komaeda.”

“I apologize, Hinata-kun, I didn't mean to--” His ear fins jolted upwards, fanning out, “I-I gotta go, Sonia's coming back around and-”

“Wait!” Hinata took a breath, “Will you come back? I want to talk to you more and...” And what? What could he say to convince Komaeda to stay, to come visit a place he might be terrified of?

“Look, I-” Komaeda looked towards where Tanaka was and licked his lips, “Okay, change of plans, grab on, we'll get away from here,” he said, and without warning, he flipped, his mess of fins and scales nudging into Hinata's back as he turned.

“W-Wait, what do you...?”

“She's fast,” Komaeda said, smiling, “But, I think with any luck, I'm just a bit faster.”

Hinata paused, looking down at the scaly body he was now practically lying stomach-down on and paused, “Um...where do I...hold?”

“Fins? Shoulders? I don't know, but decide quick because--”

“Hinata-kun!” Sonia's voice came, cheerfully. She was paddling quickly, searching for him, and before she could see them, Komaeda took off. Hinata jolted backwards and stumbled forward, locking his ankles around the fish-like body and holding tight to the man's shoulders. Beneath his butt, Hinata was pleased to know that the sharp fins were smoothed down and was thankful that they were sentient enough to NOT stab him in places he'd rather not be stabbed.

Komaeda's movements were very eel-like, swaying left and right, arms locked to his side. His face was, for the most part, above water. His nose and below was sunk beneath the surface and threading bubbles and foam into his hair. Hinata had to admit, as weird as this was, he was feeling like he was on an electric boat. It was bumpy and fast, foam and ripples battering his body. But he felt...comfortable. Safe.

Komaeda turned sharply and banked the island, his fins flaring up as he did so. He was seriously cruising around the island with Hinata literally in tow. And just as soon as they sped off, Komaeda slowed, rolling lazily to his back and letting his fish-half squirm lazily, keeping them afloat. Hinata didn't even budge from the motion, looking somewhat awestruck and perturbed.

“We should be good here,” Komaeda said, crossing his hands over his pale stomach and smiling at Hinata, fangs glistening, “How was it, riding on a mermaid?”

“It was...” Hinata paused, looking around at the island they were at and realizing nobody came this way, “How are you so fast?”

Komaeda just laughed, “I'm not. That took every ounce of energy out of me. I'm not really designed for fast swims, that'd be his thing,” he said.

“Who?” Hinata asked. Komaeda's fins perked and he looked away again, mentioning 'him'.

“I-If you don't want to talk about another human or your...'mate' or whatever that's-”

“He's not,” Komaeda said, eyes narrowing, “He's...”

He glanced back at the sky, eyes screwing up into a mixture of thought and anger. Hinata opened his mouth to apologize but Komaeda spoke first.

“I wasn't always like this. As a kid, my parents and I were...we were going somewhere. On a plane. The plane crashed. I was the only survivor because of him. I started to drown and he brought me to the surface for air. All I saw was black and...red. And then, like that, he was gone. Stranded me on a small island with nothing but a coconut tree and snakes. I didn't know what to do. I fell asleep crying.”

Hinata looked down at him. Komaeda's eyes were no longer slits; the pupils were wide now, almost egg-shaped, brimming with water that Hinata knew wasn't from the sea.

“And then...the next day, he came back, holding a tiny little orb. It looked like any ordinary raindrop, so small in his hand. He told me to drink it, to swallow it. I thought it was water, I wasn't thinking clearly, was dehydrated. So I drank that stupid, tiny little droplet....and then...”

Komaeda fell quiet, wiping his eyes and running claws through his wet hair, glancing back at the clouds in the sky. He was avoiding Hinata's gaze and he knew that. This story was one that was hurting the boy so badly and Hinata didn't know what to do to quell it.

“I was in agony. I was on fire. I remembered screaming, in pain, at him, and then...I blacked out. When I came to, I was lying on him. He was holding me in the water, letting me breathe again. Letting me taste freedom. But that wasn't freedom. I could travel the waters and reclaim what I had lost but I lost the life I had. He turned me into a mermaid because he knew I wouldn't survive. I was only a little kid, and I...”

Komaeda was grimacing now. Lifting a trembling hand, he reached for a cloud with his claws extended before making a fist, crushing it mentally with his mind and dropping his head with a dramatic, splash, “He took away my humanity. He saved my life but he made it worse. I miss books. I miss my pet. I miss...school, beds, food, baths, and...”

“Komaeda,” Hinata said quietly, looking down at the mermaid. Komaeda slowly made eye contact, eyes squeezing back to slits from the sun. Hinata gave him a weak smile and motioned for him to come close. Komaeda tipped his head but did so before Hinata pulled him into an awkward hug from the angle.

“Well, if nothing else...you got a friend, now.”

Komaeda blinked into Hinata's wet hair, arms lifted loosely in the air. His hands opened and closed a few times before gently placing his palms to Hinata's back. He wasn't sure what else to do so he just sat there, rigid, until Hinata pulled back and smiled.

“And...who's to say you can't still enjoy a bath? We got inflatable pools. I'm sure I could bring one down by the shore and...” Hinata paused, “Wait, can you only breathe salt water?”

Komaeda just blinked, still flustered by the hug. Shaking his wet curls he ran a finger through some locks and shrugged, “I don't...I can't breathe in the water. No gills. I just have really good lungs. I've...never tried to sit in freshwater.”

“Well...how about we test it out? I can bring a pool down here and some water, and we can try it. Or, I can...hm. Put you in the pool with salt water and...fill up my tub? You can read again. And...I don't know. Listen to music? Uh...” Hinata was trying to think about it more but Komaeda had already made up his mind, and in a flash—and a splash-- he was hugging Hinata tightly, more confident than before.

“Yes, please! I would love nothing more than that!”

“O-Okay, great!” Hinata said, arms locked to his side, “B-But, what do I do if you start...not feeling well?”

“Hm, well...I can be outside of the water for about an hour. You could probably carry me back to the ocean and just...” Komaeda made a basketball motion with his hands, dunking an invisible ball into a net.

“You want me to....throw you in?”

“Yeah, it's not going to hurt me. Unless you throw me into the shallows.”

“Okay, so...” Hinata looked back at the islands, “How about...tomorrow night? I'll sneak you back to my cabin and we can try and give you a bath.” he scratched the back of his head. “Do you know how awkward it is, me telling a mermaid he can...take a bath.”

“I do, Hinata-kun.”

“Okay. Do you know how awkward it's going to be to...like...actually let you bathe?”

“I do not, Hinata-kun.”

“I don't...even know if all of you can fit...” Hinata said, glancing back at the length of Komaeda's tail. If he stuffed it in, maybe, some of it would hang out regardless. He wasn't sure how flexible Komaeda was after all. He MOVED like an eel, but if he had bones like a fish, there wasn't much he could do.

“Well, we'll figure that out when we get to it. If it doesn't work, at least you tried, and I appreciate that.” Komaeda said, tail fin flicking out of the water and rippling under the waves, “Anyways, it's almost dinner for you. I should bring you back as close as I can. We'll meet by the fish net tomorrow night. What time?”

“Hm. Midnight, probably?” Hinata said, “Everybody's usually asleep or busy in their cabins so that'll be the best thing. I'll do what I can to keep you from being seen but...I'll be honest, I'm not as strong as I look. I don't even know how much you weigh.”

“If it needs to be done, I can crawl along the ground and you can hold my tail wheelbarrow-style.”

“I am not doing that,” Hinata said sternly. Komaeda pouted through a smile, “Suit yourself. Ready to go?” he asked, rolling lightly to his belly. Hinata nodded, holding his shoulders, “Okay! Tomorrow, bathtime with Hinata-kun. I'm so excited!”

“You really shouldn't be,” Hinata frowned, thankful the wind was whipping his face so he could close his eyes and try to ignore the thought of him dragging a mermaid, bridal-style, back to his cabin. For a bath. Alone. In the dead of night. The loud crash of waves masked the sound of his embarrassed groan.

They had a plan but it wasn't anything solid. Hinata couldn't help but worry the entirety of the day and though try as he might to distract himself, he did so poorly, fumbling with simple tasks. He had promised Tsumiki he'd help her but kept dropping tools and medicine bottles from his nervousness and decided to retire. He told her not to worry but he could see the panic and concern in her eyes as he shut the hospital doors behind him.

He honestly had no reason to worry at all about the events from tonight but here he was, trembling like he had witnessed a car crash and he sighed, leaning against the hospital's outer walls and glancing to the ocean as if it would help. As if seeing the fins of the mermaid poking from the surface would calm him. He scoffed, unscrewing his water bottle and taking a long few sips of the lukewarm water with a pained 'ah' and squinting against the sun.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered to nobody and moved his feet to his cottage.

He unlocked the door and looked around at the small building, grabbing some clothes and tossing them lazily into his hamper before crashing onto his creaking bed and sighing in disdain. He had hours to go and he was stressing. What if he got caught, how would he explain stowing away a mermaid and a man all at once? What if whoever caught him didn't treat Komaeda right? What if they panicked and wanted him dead or worse—for themselves?

“Not like I own him,” Hinata growled at the ceiling, squishing a pillow tight around his head and shutting his eyes.

Komaeda said he'd be fine outside of the water for a while but what if he wasn't sure? He was still mostly human but it was the fish half he was worried about. Scales were delicate and the scarred tail showed that he wasn't new to being hurt. But scales took a long time to grow back and if something happened to Komaeda while he was here, Hinata couldn't forgive himself.

Hinata got up and began to clean his cabin to make it more presentable. He was sure Komaeda wouldn't care about some mess here and there but he also didn't want to embarrass himself either and, grabbing a scrubbing brush, he went into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

His bathroom was relatively clean, and the bathing basin was always tidy since he used it a lot himself. He could fit in it fine with plenty of room to spare but he was unsure about Komaeda. He frowned, sticking his arm in and touching along the bottom of the wooden surface, judging the distance. Maybe it would be ok. If need be, they'd find a way to finagle the mermaid inside. After all, once he was told Komaeda didn't have gills and wouldn't need his head covered, it made things a bit more flexible for him to work with.

Hinata frowned. Komaeda wanted to take a bath but did he need soap? Would his soap and shampoo be okay for him? Would he even use them? Hinata thought against it; the boy was used to the ocean and probably didn't care too much about smelling like strawberries. It was then that Hinata decided Komaeda could use them if he wanted but he didn't care either way.

There was still plenty of time before they were supposed to meet up but Hinata couldn't help but stroll down to the beach on the third island and walk in the water up to his knees with his pants rolled a bit higher, feeling the cold current on his skin and smelling the salty air. The island life wasn't so bad after everything was said and done and though he couldn't imagine life here a year from now, he was doing what he could to remain positive.

Seagulls screamed above his head and circled, diving for fish and fighting among themselves, the sound of feathered wings and shrill cries loud in his ears but he simply watched as they circled away and flew off. He couldn't help but laugh; that summed up a lot of his relationships here. Bicker for a bit, then head off on their own or apologize. There were so many conflicting personalities it was bound to happen eventually. They could all tolerate each other and get along but there were going to be butting heads and arguments.

He reached down into the current and pulled up a periwinkle, inhaling and humming, holding the note as long as he could until he saw the small creature slowly emerging from its shell. Hinata smiled, inhaled, and continued to hum in that same monotone note until the periwinkle forcibly poked out and squirmed around for water. Satisfied, Hinata reached back into the ocean and put it on a small rock, letting it topple off and knowing it would reattach. He couldn't help but feel bored; he had seen everything the island had to offer.

“Except for mermaid,” he admitted quietly, lifting and running a foot along the cold, foamy current before walking back to the shore.

After dinner, he found himself back at the ocean on the third island and glanced along the water as if searching. He didn't know what he was doing here; he still had hours to wait. But he was getting impatient and his nerves were squashed only slightly by a full stomach. Anything that could go wrong _would_ , Hinata was sure, and he was preparing for the worst.

He slowly eased his back onto the sands and looked up into the stars before jolting, almost smashing heads with Sonia who simply stepped back in her own surprise and smiled.

“Good evening,” she said cheerfully, smiling. Hinata muttered a greeting in response through the rush of blood in his ears and watched as she sat next to him.

“I didn't mean to startle you,” she began. “I thought you could use some company. You have been 'on edge' all day.”

“”Yeah, I guess so,” he replied. What else could he say to her but that he was waiting for a friend who may or may not be living in the ocean?

“You miss your friend?” she asked as if to read his mind and he should have been surprised, really, but he shook his head. Sonia was intelligent when she needed to be and was incredibly good at reading people's subtle emotions.

“You could say that.”

“There are many friends on these islands,” she began, “But I understand why you feel so saddened by missing your new friend. Sometimes, it's the change in routine we all miss the most.”

“It's definitely refreshing,” Hinata replied, “I just...don't know if people will...accept him.”

“What do you mean?” she asked. Hinata sucked in a sharp breath and ran his fingers roughly through his messy brown hair.

“Well, he's, uh...'different.”

“Different is always good, though, we are all different.”

“I know that, but...” Hinata trailed off. What could he say? That Komaeda was disabled? That he wasn't 'like them'? That he was probably ostracized just for existing or always on the run because of what he was—what he became? In the water with his fish half hidden, it was easy to assume he was normal. Outside of the slit eyes, fangs, and ear fins of course. Thankfully, that day by the fish farm, Komaeda knew enough to try and hide the fins, at least.

“If you are worried that he won't be accepted here, then I will not pry. I simply ask that you try to let everybody meet him sometime. I don't think they will turn him down or away and if he's difficult to get along with, well, if you have befriended him then I have hope he's a good person. You tend to make friends with good people.” she said, smiling.

Hinata nodded and thanked her, glancing back to the water. The sun was going down slowly and the sky was exploding into oranges and purples. He loved this time of day when it started to cool off and the colors bled into one another, brushed aside by the clouds moving away to make room for the stars.

“Sonia,” he started, “Do you think...myths have truth to them?”

“Hm?” she tipped her head and placed a finger to her chin, frowning, “I...would imagine so. People tend to have similar myths for gods and goddesses, monsters, and lore, so I suppose they had to stem from something. Why?”

“No reason. I've been, uh, reading a lot. It's been...on my mind.”

“I see.”

Sonia took to drawing in the sand with a finger, humming quietly. Hinata's curiosity couldn't help but get the best of him and he looked over at what she was drawing before biting his lip to stop a sound from coming out. She was doodling a crude mermaid, long, flowing hair, a simple fish bottom like he had seen in movies, different from the eel-like body Komaeda had. Sonia's mermaid was a female, though, two little circles and a string making an implied bra. She was giggling, giving it a large bow on its head and smiling.

“Mermaids and fairies,” she said, “They were always my favorite stories as a little girl. And then it was werewolves and chupacabras. It's amazing isn't it? How we take such simple things and melt them together to make something new. A human and a horse makes a centaur, a human and a wolf is a werewolf, a fish and a human is a mermaid. Myths can be silly.”

“Y-Yeah.” was all Hinata said, falling quiet and tucking his face into his knees.

In time, Sonia got up and left, called away by Tanaka and Mioda for some sort of adventure and Hinata was left alone in the dark. He couldn't help but stick his fingers into Sonia's drawing, tracing over her lines and widening them slightly by a thicker finger than hers, gently wiping his palm over the bow to remove it and instead drawing some little ear-fins.

He didn't realize he was smiling until he heard a small laugh.

“If I had known you liked bras, I would have came prepared, Hinata-kun.”

Hinata jolted back, the mermaid reaching a hand a little as if to stop him from falling before waving his tail fins in a hello.

“Your art is pretty good,” Komaeda said, looking down at the lines, “Your interpretation of me is quite beautiful, it's really undeserving of me to be so attractive.”

“I didn't draw it,” Hinata scowled, swiping a foot along the drawing and smearing most of it back into the ground, the lines filled in with sand, “Sonia drew it. I just...added to it.”

“The ears or the bra?” he questioned. Hinata scowled deeper. Komaeda just beamed.

“Is it even midnight yet?” Hinata asked, suddenly very aware it was still somewhat bright out from the moon and trying to see if anybody was near him. Komaeda shook his head and crawled a little more onto the sand, leaning on one elbow and resting his head on a fist.

“No, it's not. But I saw you were alone and figured I'd keep you company until then if it was alright?”

“I-” Hinata looked again over his shoulder, licked his lips, and sighed, “No, it's fine. I was getting bored anyways.”

Komaeda nodded and smiled, moving to lay on his back and glancing at the sky.

“Hey, Komaeda?” The mermaid's green-greys looked up at him. “I, uhm....where do you sleep? What do you do all day?” The tail fins slapped lazily at the water and Hinata grew suddenly aware at how the fish-like body expanded slowly whenever Komaeda breathed, almost snake-like. It made him vaguely realize Komaeda still staring at him and he pulled his eyes away.

“It's quite rude to stare at someone's sensitive areas, Hinata-kun.”

“I-I didn't! I wasn't-I-I was just--”

Komaeda bit back a laugh and gestured down to his body, “I'm only teasing you. But you were definitely staring there.”

Hinata turned away, red in the face. How was he supposed to know?!

Komaeda hummed, rolling fully to his belly. The swirling red pattern of his body was visible even in the dark lights, a stark contrast to the pale green of his eel-like form.

“I sleep...wherever I can. Usually on beaches like this. Sometimes I get lucky and find abandoned boats or hammocks. Sometimes, I make a nest of seaweed and just float. Whales are very kind creatures and I can sometimes lie on them for a little while but it's rare. I generally float on my back and fall asleep. It's...not easy,” he admitted, frowning. “But I don't know what I do for fun. Explore, I suppose? Chase fish? People watch as of late. This island is quite interesting.”

“We have a lot of characters.” Hinata replied, nodding.

“Some of them come swimming and touch me though I don't believe they know they did so. I think they think I'm seaweed, but I can't blame them. I'm just drifting in the sea after all and my hair's easily tangled.”

Hinata smiled, “Oh, I know.”

“...right.” Komaeda replied with a yawn, recalling the net ensnared in his ivory strands. His tail lazily slapped at the water, the rest of it began coiling up like a hose, comfortably compact. His eyes shut, head resting on his arms. Hinata simply watched him and realized that he was napping.

“A warning would have been really nice,” he sighed, looking down at the mermaid before glancing at the islands a final time. Cabin lights were on and off, some folks up and some asleep. He had plenty of time to let him rest and turned back to look at the sleeping man. He wondered if they still would have been friends if circumstances didn't take Komaeda's freedom as a child.

But yet, here he was: alive and well. Transfigured, sure, but alive. Hinata couldn't imagine what it was like to be a mermaid, to have no true friends, no place to call home. No entertainment but to live like an animal and only hunt when he was hungry and swim otherwise.

Maybe he started to realize how Komaeda felt just a little bit. He was able to live but not be alive, to drop everything of being human in an instant and live lifelessly. Komaeda was curious, intelligent, and if he didn't trust Hinata just a little bit he'd have left and yet here he was, acting like nothing was wrong, like they had been friends for years. On top of that, he didn't even turn down the idea of a bathtub visit.

It was odd. It was extremely odd, but seeing the sleeping mermaid so excited about it he felt awful. If he was in the same position, Hinata was sure he'd have jumped at the chance to hang out with another human again, for the touch of another, to speak and fill that social gap. Maybe they were similar after all. Hinata, when he felt lonely, could simply step outside and head towards the library, amusement park, breakfast area, or the pools and run into someone without even trying but Komaeda probably swam around for years without a friend, always fearing he'd be used. He mentioned another friend, a mermaid, but they didn't seem too close. The man was truly alone, wasn't he?

Hinata's head dropped to look at Komaeda and, without thinking, he ran his index finger along the scales and felt how smooth yet firm they were, the coolness from the air a shocking change from his warm hand. Komaeda didn't move. Inching slowly closer, Hinata placed his palm gently on the mermaid's hip, feeling the firmness of the body beneath and more smooth scales. Some had naked spots; scales that had shed off from being sloughed against a rock or damage, healing and repairing themselves. Others had larger gaps from scars and wounds.

Hinata's fingers trailed towards one of the spines along the back and pushed down against the resistance. Letting go, it quickly snapped back into place and Hinata wondered just how much effort it took to control the spines. His eyes looked down at the messy bed of hair and he felt his fingers twitch. The hair looked scraggly and wild but something in his mind told him it might be softer than he was expecting and he reached for a small curl.

It had the roughness one would expect of being submerged in the sea and ground down from salt, but it also had a sort of bounciness to it and, peering down, he realized the tips were a strawberry color, fading quickly to ivory. Maybe the sun bleached away his hair color, he was unsure. Komaeda made a small snort sound and jerked his head away, stretching obscenely with a languid unraveling of his coiled tail, the fins flaring out and then shrinking to a relaxed state.

“I fell asleep.” he said simply, hiding a yawn behind a hand and blinking sleep away. He had only been down for probably twenty minutes but it felt like forever ago and, blinking up at Hinata, he gave him a small smile.

“I'm sorry Hinata-kun, the sand's still really warm and I've been swimming all day.”

“Not a problem. You can sleep in my--” he cut himself off. Komaeda's head tipped a little as if he didn't quite catch what Hinata had said and, with a sigh, Hinata scratched the back of his fuzzy head and pouted, “I-I mean...if you're able to...you're welcome to stay the night. I'm just not sure how that'll work for you being aquatic and all.”

“Ah,” Komaeda's fins prickled a little as if to prove Hinata's point. “Well, like I said, if I start feeling ill you can just bring me back here but I think I should be fine if I'm dry for a long time. I just can't be near anything rough like concrete. Wood or carpet should be ok if they're smooth enough.” he trailed off, pondering. He of course didn't know if he could.

Nodding, Hinata looked down one last time at the mermaid and started undoing his tie with nervous fingers. Komaeda glanced up at him, watched as he fumbled with the green and gold fabric before he tossed it down and started unbuttoning his shirt as well.

“I have an idea,” Hinata said, reading Komaeda's mind who simply blinked and continued staring. Realizing, Hinata felt his face flush and turned a little to the side, undoing the buttons clumsily and then taking the shirt to the ocean, dipping it in until it was soaked. Satisfied, he turned back to Komaeda (still staring) and tossed the shirt on his head, reaching for his tie.

“I don't trust the walk so if you can stay damp, it'll be better for both of us,” Hinata replied, handing him the tie. Komaeda nodded, draping the shirt on his head and holding the tie around his neck while making a terrible knot.

“I used to have to wear ties as a kid but I don't quite remember the technique,” Komaeda admitted shyly and he gave up, the tie held shut enough for the journey.

“Well...ready when you are.” Hinata said and Komaeda nodded, rolling to sit on his fish-like butt, holding his arms up for Hinata to take hold of. Hinata slipped an arm underneath his fish-like butt area where the knees would be and feeling the weight of the body beneath him. The other arm reached behind Komaeda's back and with a quick lift, he was holding him bridal style.

Komaeda giggled, wiggling his tail playfully and wrapping his pale arms around Hinata's neck, “This is exciting. I've never been carried like this, not even as a child!”

“Well, don't get used to it,” Hinata retorted, taking a tender step. Komaeda was heavier than he expected but he attributed most of that to the fishes' weight. Sensing this, Komaeda curled his tail up and wrapped it around Hinata's legs, enough so he could walk and not trip but tight enough to keep it off the ground. The sand was tough to walk on already but Komaeda said nothing patiently as Hinata struggled up the dunes.

They made their way to the main cabins and Hinata looked around carefully. Some lights were still on in his path and he knew that if anybody saw him, they'd immediately come outside and say hello and he couldn't chance that: not being shirtless and certainly not carrying a mermaid.

“Komaeda, can you...crawl fast if you're dry?”

“It depends on the surface but yes, why?”

“Can you crawl to that cabin way over there and hide? That one is mine. I don't want to be seen because people will come out.” he whispered. “I'll crawl beneath the windows quietly.”

“Ah, I see,” Komaeda said, nodding. “I will do my best!”

“Okay, good. And stay quiet!” Hinata hissed, letting the mermaid down gently and pointing at the same cabin. Komaeda hoisted himself up and began to slither serpentine, making his way to the cabin faster than Hinata would have expected. And sure enough, Komaeda was silent, very gentle scuff-like sounds from his body dragging but he couldn't help that. Once there, Komaeda coiled his body up and he held it in his arms like a child holding laundry and Hinata chewed back a smile. It was endearing.

Hunkering down on all fours, he began to hunch and walk beneath people's cabin lights without a hitch until he made it to his own and fumbled for his key. It took a bit in the dark to find the hole but he unlocked the doorknob and pushed the door aside, letting the mermaid slip inside and, once in, he shut the door and locked it, drawing his blinds down and exhaling a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Komaeda was already exploring, his body taking up nearly the whole bedroom/living quarters. He was looking at pictures Koizumi took, looking at the hideous black-and-white bear figures on the shelves, and then at the bed. Komaeda knew he was lengthy and coiled his body in on itself, giving Hinata some wiggle room to get to where he had to go. Awkwardly Hinata stood there and just observed, letting the mermaid touch things and investigate them with the curiosity of a stray pet that had its first home.

Looking at the top of a bureau, Komaeda reached for some small sunflower clips and turned them over in his hands, laughing.

“How ironic that you keep sunflower memorabilia, Hinata-kun, considering your name,” he chirped, placing them down delicately with hardly a noise and then folding his hands onto his “lap”, blinking those pale green-greys expectantly.

“U-Um, so...bath. I'll just get it started,” Hinata stammered, sliding into the bathroom. It didn't take but a second before he heard the gentle slap of skin on tiles and Komaeda was in the bathroom too, curled in the corner and looking around. His eyes didn't stray too far from the large bathing basin and Hinata sighed, reaching for the knobs.

“Hot or cold?” he asked. Komaeda paused in thought.

“Hot but not too hot. I think it'll be fine. The ocean can get really hot in the shallows,” Komaeda explained, reading for a shampoo bottle and popping the cab with a claw, inhaling the scent with an 'Mmm'. Hinata turned the dials and let the water pour out and begin to steam the room. Komaeda was beaming with a blushing face, hoisting himself up onto the edge of the basin and dipping an arm in. He was swirling the hot water lazily and seemingly growing entranced by the clear water sparkling from the light of the bathroom.

“It feels good,” he murmured, resting his head on an arm, the other just tracing circles in the water as it raised slowly.

“That's good,” Hinata replied. He glanced at the shampoo bottle. “I wasn't sure if you actually wanted to bathe but there's soap and stuff. I-I'm not sure how much good it'd do for you, but, it's there,” Hinata said. Komaeda nodded and then frowned a little.

“Could I...?” he turned away shyly, looking back into the water, “Would you...care to join me, Hinata-kun? It's just, I've never bathed with anybody before and I was wondering if maybe you could...wash my hair?” he glanced down at his claws and wiggled them. “I don't want to scrape my scalp. And you don't have to be naked, you can wear clothes. I just....I'm sorry for suggesting it.” Komaeda stammered. His ear fins dropped but his face remained neutral and Hinata frowned in response.

Komaeda meant well. He just wanted to hang out, to do things other people normally would, and it wasn't uncommon for men and women to bathe together or soak in saunas and hot springs.

“Wait here,” he said and left the room, returning moments later in dark green swim trunks with gold borders on the bottom, white strings tied tight in a small bow. He sat on the toilet seat and watched the bath fill with Komaeda, who simply gave him a loose smile and a soft 'thank you' Hinata was sure he mistakenly heard.

The bath filled about halfway, Hinata turned off the water and glanced at the mermaid, practically vibrating with excitement, eyes wide and childlike at the entire ordeal and Hinata laughed.

“Well? Get in,” he said. Komaeda glanced back with a fanged smile and hoisted himself up and into the water in one smooth motion. The water rippled hard but barely made a noise and he coiled around, tail in and out of the water. He pulled his head out and rested it along the edge of the water with a deep sigh.

“Hot. Its hot,” he said.

“Too hot? I can adjust it,” Hinata offered but Komaeda shook his wet head, curls springing back to life. “No, it feels good. I've only ever had cold water.” he said. Looking at the mermaid relaxing, he glanced into the tub and saw Komaeda had made a large circular area for him to fit into. He couldn't help but smile and carefully put his feet into the tub before hunkering down to his shoulders and feeling the heat billowing off of his skin.

“You know...” Komaeda spoke eventually. “I think you're the first person to have treated me well in years. Thank you, Hinata-kun.”

“Where'd that come from?” Hinata asked, running a hand down his own shoulder to get it wet.

“Well, I thought about it all day. I thought 'this could be a trap' and he's just lying to me,” Hinata frowned. “But, well, here we are, doing what you promised. And you were very gentle with someone as despicable as me. You had no reason to be but you were. I really appreciate that about you.”

Hinata said nothing but exhaled softly. He was looking at Komaeda, whose eyes were lowered and looking at the bathroom floor, his ivory strands dripping water and the steam flushing face. If he ignored the fins, Komaeda was a very attractive person. Hinata quickly tucked that thought away and instead opted to brush some strands from the mermaid's face who glanced at him in surprise.

“Well...you gave me no reason to lie and I'm not that sort of person. I promised I'd wash your hair too, right?” Hinata said. Komaeda's eyes widened further before he laughed, a wheezy sort of breath, and he quickly dunked his head, soaking Hinata in the process.

Squirting a good chunk of shampoo into his palm, Hinata plopped it onto Komaeda's head and gently lathered it in with his fingertips. He was sure Komaeda had fallen asleep by how quickly his head dropped onto his arm and his eyes fluttered shut, but it wasn't until he noticed the spines along his back quivering that he realized perhaps Komaeda was actually enjoying it. The man was deathly silent for once and was instead tilting his head a little this way and that to get the good spots scratched.

“You're like a cat,” Hinata muttered out loud and this time Komaeda's eye cracked open and he smiled.

“I'm sorry, Hinata-kun. It's the first time I've been touched in years, when I run my fingers through my hair they get caught or I cut myself. I really am unlucky.”

“That's ok,” Hinata said, scratching the back of his neck and scalp to get the shampoo in. Truthfully, even his fingers were getting caught in the snarls but he had no choice. Komaeda couldn't exactly wash his own hair in the ocean after all; it would just be a waste of time and effort. He did his best to break apart the tangles carefully, weeding his fingers through, but it was a job too difficult and he gave up. Maybe Mioda could--

Right. Nobody knew about Komaeda. Glancing at the boy's face he decided his hair was washed and let Komaeda dunk his head under again. Running his fingers through Komaeda's hair as if to ruffle it, he watched the soap come to the surface and wash from the boy's hair. Eventually, Komaeda surfaced, running a palm along his scalp with a pained noise.

“You alright?” Hinata asked with concern in his voice. Did he hurt him? Did the shampoo sting?

“I am,” Komaeda managed, wincing. “It just...it's the softest it's been in years.”

Hinata's jaw dropped a little when he realized the boy was crying, thick tears streaming down his face.

“Komaeda, I-”

“Thank you.” Komaeda faced him, smiling through the tears, biting his bottom lip. “Thank you for this. Truly.”

“Yeah...no problem.” Hinata said quietly. They soaked in silence while Komaeda composed himself. Tonight was truly bizarre. Reaching over, Hinata gently pulled at an ear fin, making the mermaid look over with a perturbed sort of grin and they both laughed a little.

“This is weird.” Hinata said.

“Yes, a little bit.” Komaeda agreed.

The tub drained with a loud sucking noise and Hinata dried off his legs. Komaeda had slithered out, scales looking somehow shinier, admiring his reflection in the mirror and fussing with his wet curls trying to brush through them. It was an impossible feat but the boy seemed content with attempting.

Hinata went to the bedroom to quickly slip into dry underwear and pajama bottoms and Komaeda left the bathroom when Hinata gave him the clear. Komaeda slithered quickly out of the bathroom, body sliding easily on the wood, and he smiled at the fact that he felt fine and didn't need to worry about sloughing off his scales painfully.

“You know,” Hinata said. “I think that that could be a weekly thing for you if you wanted it.”

“Really?” Komaeda glanced up at him. Hinata nodded, plopping onto the bed.

“Yeah. I mean, if we can get away with sneaking you in here every week. It would depend on schedules and the timing would need to be almost exact, but...yeah. Yeah.”

“I would really like that, Hinata-kun. Though I know the ocean will just dirty me again for being uncouth. I just wish I could stay clean. Even as a child I tried to bathe twice a day, you know. But swimming around in algae and trash is just...” he shuddered as if to prove his point before glancing at his claws. Underneath, there wasn't a speck of dirt and he lavished that fact, smiling.

“I don't miss cleaning my ears out though.” Komaeda stated. Hinata crooked his head at him before laughing. Was that Komaeda's attempt at a joke? He wasn't sure. Regardless, he watched the mermaid smile and curl up on the floor in a neat spiral, his tail fins draping over his eyes much like a cat's tail.

“What are you doing?” Hinata asked.

“Hm?” Komaeda peeked out from the ripped hole of his fin. “I'm getting comfortable for bed?”

“On the floor like that?”

“Where else would I sleep?” Komaeda asked, gesturing to the bed. “I highly doubt I could fit on that Hinata-kun and I would be incredibly rude to suggest we share something that's yours. Plus, I'm unsure if the blankets will catch on my scales s-so...” Komaeda covered his face again with his tail fin and fell quiet. Hinata was sure he was trying to sleep but instead, he got off the bed and sighed, grabbing the mermaid by his sides and sliding his hands underneath, holding him up like a cat.

“Hinata-kun, what are you d--?”

“On the bed, come on. You can sleep ON the blankets, can't you? I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor, especially not until I get some blankets or a futon. Now come on, stop being this way.” Komaeda hesitated, tail fin slapping the floor. He just blinked a few times before nodding, feeling Hinata slowly let go, and with a movement as smooth as liquid, he hoisted himself onto the bed and curled up as much as he could, keeping the prickly spines aiming away from where Hinata would be sleeping.

Komaeda faced the wall and his nose was practically smushed against it, giving Hinata as much room as he could and avoiding his stare. Hinata sighed, sliding under the covers and lying on his back. Another sigh when Komaeda didn't react. He could see the boy's back shaking with his quickened pulse and Hinata sighed a third time before poking his soft skin.

“Oi,” he said. “I'm not gonna bite. You can get comfortable and NOT crush your face on the cabin wall, alright?”

Komaeda slowly unfurled, twisting his top half to look at Hinata with a reddened face.

“I-I'm sorry, I just--”

“Don't wanna hear it,” Hinata cut him off. “Just get comfortable. Treat it like a sleepover and like you're human still. Just...here,” Hinata handed him an extra pillow. “You're a guest and this is what I promised, right?”

“Y-You did, Hinata-kun, but--”

“So, shut up and go to sleep.”

Komaeda hesitated, squeezing the pillow between clawed hands and looking down at it. It was soft and a bit lumpy, a pillow that nobody would choose as their first pick, but he realized Hinata only had two pillows and it was better than anything he'd been using the past few years. Komaeda didn't realize he was crying until he slid his fluffy head onto the pillow and felt the hot wetness of his tears streaming down his face.

“You're...so bright, Hinata-kun.” Komaeda murmured into the pillow. “So radiant. You feel like hope.” he whispered. Turning away from Hinata, he curled back into the pillow and sighed softly in comfort. Noticing he wasn't looking at him, Hinata blinked back a few tears that ended up escaping his own eyes. He hadn't done anything but show the mermaid kindness and the boy saw him as a sort of god. He couldn't understand. He just wanted to show him some friendship and yet here he was, being called hope, radiant, nothing but compliments.

Hinata shut his eyes tightly. Maybe one day they could find a way to cure Komaeda and bring him back to his human self.

“If you really are bad luck, “Hinata murmured, “Then you need to have a good luck streak eventually.”

Komaeda said nothing but he could feel the bed tremble.


End file.
